AMD's day of dual

After more hype and wait than I think we can stand again, AMD dual-core processorsare finally here. The new chips, which AMD claims should offer a 30% to 90% performance improvement from single-core chips, are destined to find their place in a whole host of solutions from server and workstations for enterprise users to desktop and desktop-replacement notebooks for consumers and business users. As the name suggests, dual-core chips have two computing engines, placed together on a single piece of silicon.

Speaking at a product unveiling in New York, which was broadcast over the Internet, Williams said AMD hopes to differentiate its products from dual-core chips rival Intel Corp. (INTC) introduced earlier this week. He said AMD's decision to directly connect the two cores would hasten communications between them.